E63 s disappointment
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,394
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E63
Correct, but that's point, the list is growing.
Who knows what the next "security issue" will be.
How many more "security" issue units have been added? How many more general "this unit that renders your car inoperable is only available to select few" will they add?
The answer to both those questions is >1. Even with a scan tool, replacing these units is not always PNP. The whole point being, the future repairability of cars today is going to be an issue.
Who knows what the next "security issue" will be.
How many more "security" issue units have been added? How many more general "this unit that renders your car inoperable is only available to select few" will they add?
The answer to both those questions is >1. Even with a scan tool, replacing these units is not always PNP. The whole point being, the future repairability of cars today is going to be an issue.
I will however say that manufacturers have a little more leeway in writing nearly unbreakable software for security based devices (like the key to operate your vehicle) than for random parts that make your car run. Most countries regulate that.
Also there is the issue that MB themselves do not make a majority of the parts that go into building their cars. They have 3rd party suppliers doing that
And let is not forget just how clever some folks are at bypassing these software codes....(check out ebay for products that Rentech will charge you your mother's first born son for, being sold for less than $500....yes they work, I ship vehicles out of the country quite often, I have had to modify them to allow them to work oversees and its crazy how talented these guys from the Eastern European regions are at bypassing all sorts of codes).
When I was last in a third world country (just a few weeks ago), I saw how easy it was for them to reverse mileage, convert modern German cars (less than 5 years old) from right hand to left hand drives, and a whole lot of things I thought were too expensive to do here. Being done for pennies on the dollar
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Atlanta
2022 Mercedes EQS 580
Secondly Toyota is known for making conservative cars that are far from cutting edge, in order to top the reliability tables.
Mercedes makes cutting edge vehicles, with a high degree of complexity. And for that segment of vehicles, it is one of the most reliable.
People should not extrapolate from the odd sob story, that the entire class of vehicles is faulty. Mine has been absolutely perfect. My guess is that the fault rate per new vehicle on the W213 is comparable to other German luxury cars. Yes a Lexus GS350 will have fewer faults, but it is also a less exciting vehicle with less technology.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
So I'll modify my original point in light of the great discussion:
All predriven cars will pose a more complex problem for their subsequent owners regardless of brand or acquisition cost of the predriven car; the time to diagnose may take longer and I don't see mechanics' hourly rate doing anything other than going up.
i guess the other thing is how often will a software problem 10 years into a car's existence land that car on a flatbed and useless until repaired? Probably not often; the software issues and hardware issues that do that are often remedied during the bumper to bumper period.
All predriven cars will pose a more complex problem for their subsequent owners regardless of brand or acquisition cost of the predriven car; the time to diagnose may take longer and I don't see mechanics' hourly rate doing anything other than going up.
i guess the other thing is how often will a software problem 10 years into a car's existence land that car on a flatbed and useless until repaired? Probably not often; the software issues and hardware issues that do that are often remedied during the bumper to bumper period.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 239
E63
So I'll modify my original point in light of the great discussion:
All predriven cars will pose a more complex problem for their subsequent owners regardless of brand or acquisition cost of the predriven car; the time to diagnose may take longer and I don't see mechanics' hourly rate doing anything other than going up.
i guess the other thing is how often will a software problem 10 years into a car's existence land that car on a flatbed and useless until repaired? Probably not often; the software issues and hardware issues that do that are often remedied during the bumper to bumper period.
All predriven cars will pose a more complex problem for their subsequent owners regardless of brand or acquisition cost of the predriven car; the time to diagnose may take longer and I don't see mechanics' hourly rate doing anything other than going up.
i guess the other thing is how often will a software problem 10 years into a car's existence land that car on a flatbed and useless until repaired? Probably not often; the software issues and hardware issues that do that are often remedied during the bumper to bumper period.
The only saving grace will be that manufacturers HAVE to make these parts that go into automation (and complexities) cheap enough to allow you and I to buy these cars at a reasonable cost or they stand to lose heavily as well. If the cost of repairing/replacing these things get so expensive MB cannot afford to do so reasonably, there will have to be a reduction (or elimination) of warranty periods or MB cannot afford to sell the cars.
On the other side of things.... Cost of parts are fraction of what you see on the retail side of things. Some years back when I got my first AMG (was used with no warranty), I used my EIN to setup a account with my local MB dealer and bought lots of parts through them....when I say some parts go for a third of the retail cost, I am not kidding!
